The magpie and the miner
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325984)
Rockingham, Australia
August 15, 2023 5:22am CST
Today we watched two birds having a slight disagreement and Vince was able to snap some photos of them.
The larger bird is a western magpie and the smaller one a yellow-throated miner. The miner was harassing the magpie. When the magpie landed on the gate the miner continued to do some amazing aerobatics round the bigger bird.
There was no retaliation on the part of the magpie and eventually it flew off. That was about the extent of our entertainment for the day.
18 people like this
18 responses
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
15 Aug
I wonder what their argument was about? Maybe the miner has a nearby nest and thought the magpie was trying to take eggs or young to eat?
Birds are usually really interesting to watch.
3 people like this
@Laurakemunto (12862)
• Kenya
15 Aug
Yes it probably was the reason among many known to it
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
15 Aug
@Laurakemunto I don't know a lot about birds in other countries.
2 people like this
@Laurakemunto (12862)
• Kenya
15 Aug
@DaddyEvil yea since they are a variety of species with different characteristics
How have you been?
2 people like this
@ptrikha_2 (45532)
• India
15 Aug
It was like the miner was a Defence Air Jet scrambled to warn Magpie about its territory.
Magpie initially resisted but later had to withdraw as per the "protocol".
This is what I can think of !!
Nicely snapped pictures !!
This is what I can think of !!
Nicely snapped pictures !!2 people like this
@JudyEv (325984)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Aug
That's a very good 'take' on what is happening here. 
@RebeccasFarm (86776)
• United States
15 Aug
This is an absolutely stunning photo!!!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325984)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Aug
He got a few different ones but this was probably the best. I thought I put another one up but I can't see it so I'll add it here IF I can! lol
Seems I can't. 
@JudyEv (325984)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Aug
@LindaOHio I didn't even try today. Maybe I will tomorrow. it gets quite discouraging as I like to add photos to my posts and often the text is all about the photo anyway.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (156587)
• United States
17 Aug
@JudyEv Takes me as many as 6 tries to get a photo to take.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95401)
• Marion, Ohio
17 Aug
@JudyEv That could be real interesting to watch.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73537)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
15 Aug
What a fantastic shot. That is like the shot I got in Latvia at a duck pond when as I snapped a duck on the water a gull came in for a landing,
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73537)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
17 Aug
@JudyEv I stood there wondering if the gull would land on the duck but it missed the duck by mere inches and the duck did not even quack when the gull landed.
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15833)
• Manchester, England
15 Aug
Wow! What a photograph! Vince has a real talent.
We get some fairly good entertainment most days walking the dog. There seems to be constant battles between groups of magpies and crows. It's all very noisy and sounds terrible but the birds always seem to come out of it all unscathed.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (18920)
• United States
22 Aug
@JudyEv We have alot of crows and black birds. We sometimes have cardinals. We haven't been getting any bird food lately.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (85442)
• Bangalore, India
15 Aug
Must be interesting and entertaining. Birds are interesting to watch and it's fun to decipher what actually is the talk about I would say that miner was either a bully or someone with courage to trouble a bigger magpie
Magpie sounds like some tolerant gentleman. He preferred to walk away
I would say that miner was either a bully or someone with courage to trouble a bigger magpie
Magpie sounds like some tolerant gentleman. He preferred to walk away1 person likes this
@arunima25 (85442)
• Bangalore, India
17 Aug
@JudyEv Hmm... that can be the reason. It's interesting to have our own saying in that
1 person likes this
@Laurakemunto (12862)
• Kenya
15 Aug
It was a nice scene I can relate to when cocks fight over a hen
1 person likes this
@Laurakemunto (12862)
• Kenya
17 Aug
@JudyEv I see them in these festivals where they fight for prizes and they really battle out fiercely
1 person likes this
@Treborika (17286)
• Mombasa, Kenya
15 Aug
I rarely realise the reasons for fighting among animals
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325984)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Aug
You have to wonder sometimes why they are having an argument. Maybe the miner had a nest nearby.
